Untapped Potential of Moorochloa eruciformis (Sm.) Veldkamp: Metabolomic Insights into its Antioxidant and in vitro Enzyme-Inhibiting Properties

Although unintentionally grown weeds are often seen as a problematic issue because they may compete with desired plants for resources, they can also possess positive and beneficial qualities. In many Poaceae crops, Moorochloa eruciformis (Sm.) Veldkamp is an invasive weed and is often discarded, wasting its potential. To utilize the M. eruciformis , extracts from petroleum ether, 70% aqueous methanol, and defatted aqueous methanol were screened in vitro for their ability to scavenge radicals and inhibit certain diagnostic enzymes. The defatted aqueous methanol exhibited the most significant antioxidant, anti-Alzheimer, and antidiabetic attributes as well as moderate anti-inflammatory effect. Additionally, the same extract was found to contain the major phenolic content as determined spectrophotometrically. Therefore, it was further characterized through LC-ESI-MS in conjunction with GNPS-based molecular networking, aiming to discover the metabolic profile responsible for these impacts. As a result, 102 metabolites were annotated for the first time for the species, encompassing unique derivatives of hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids as well as flavonolignans. M. eruciformis could be recycled and validated as a valuable source of natural phenolic acids and flavonoids, supporting its consideration in clinical research on natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents for arthritis, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s diseases.